This collection of poems ranges widely in time and space from Homer's Odyssey, to the Fire of Rome in 64 CE, during the reign of Nero, and then on to the 16th century low Countries, 19th century Russia and into the future. There is a wide range of voices (the pompous wine-critic, the cool teenager, the narcissistic male, the ecstatic patriot) and subject matter (history, politics, philosophy, personality types, fine arts, music).